Technical Field
Embodiments of the present invention relate to a package, a light-emitting device using the package and a light-emitting element, and a method for manufacturing the same.
Description of Related Art
A lead frame is used in a light-emitting device to mount thereon a light-emitting element such as a light-emitting diode (LED). The lead frame includes a plurality of electrode pairs, with each electrode pair serving as a positive electrode and a negative electrode and including a die pad and a lead part. The plurality of electrode pairs is arranged in parallel in a plurality of rows and a plurality of columns (see, for example, JP 2013-168653 A and JP 2013-232590 A). For the purpose of reducing deformation of such a lead frame in handling, a lead frame for mounting a semiconductor element has been proposed in which the adjacent electrode pairs are coupled together via a plurality of reinforcing pieces each protruding from the corresponding die pad or lead.
A light emitting device typically includes a package and a light emitting element. The package includes a lead frame and a molded body that covers a portion of an upper surface, a portion of a lower surface, and an end surface of the electrode pairs of the lead frame. The light emitting element is connected to the lead frame. Specifically, an LED package is proposed that can precisely control the light distribution characteristics (see, for example, JP 2013-171969 A). The LED package includes a light transmissive member disposed in a part covering a region over the light-emitting element and allowing the light emitted from the light-emitting element to pass therethrough and a light reflective member disposed on a lateral side of the transmissive member and allowing for reflecting the light emitted from the light-emitting element (see, for example, JP 2013-171969 A).
In manufacturing the light-emitting device using such a lead frame that includes the adjacent electrode pairs coupled together by the reinforcing pieces, the lead frame is fixed with the molded body made of resin or the like to form the package, and the light-emitting elements are mounted in the package. Then, the package is singulated by dicing or the like in such a way as to cut the reinforcing piece between the electrode pairs, thus producing a plurality of individual light-emitting devices.
The light-emitting devices manufactured in this way are mounted in parallel on a mounting substrate, for example, by soldering. In this case, the adjacent singulated packages might come into contact with each other because of displacement from their respective mounting positions due to poor soldering, which may lead to breakage of the light-emitting devices at an early stage. For this reason, the adjacent light-emitting devices need to be mounted with a certain spacing therebetween. Thus, the plurality of light-emitting devices may not be arranged at a high mounting density.